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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Economics and the economy

Redefining Rural: What Rural Prosperity and the Geography of Newly Affluent Rural Communities Tells Us About Rural Development
Examines rural prosperity data and changes for counties that grew in, maintained, or slipped in prosperity from 2000 to 2018, using American Community Survey (ACS) and U.S. Census Bureau data. Offers tables breaking down prosperity according to rates of high school degree holders, poverty rate, employment, housing vacancy, and income, including comparisons between rural and non-rural counties. Presents a case study analysis on rural prosperity in Texas.
Author(s): Kennedy O'Dell
Date: 08/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Economic Innovation Group
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Perceptions of Diseases of Despair by Members of Rural and Urban High-Prevalence Communities: A Qualitative Study
Reports on a study of community perceptions of despair-related illnesses based on 4 focus groups of 60 patients from 1 urban and 2 rural census blocks in central Pennsylvania where diseases of despair (DoD) are prevalent. Discusses perceived causes of DoD, such as economic instability, substance misuse, and fragmented family life; and intervention strategies at the community, local, and state level.
Author(s): Daniel R. George, Bethany Snyder, Lauren J. Van Scoy, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 4(7), e2118134
Date: 07/2021
Type: Document
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Examining Opportunities for Growth and Investment in Rural America
Video recording of testimony from rural healthcare and economic organization leadership to the U.S. House Agriculture Committee. Discusses broadband and telehealth, COVID-19 impacts on rural healthcare and economics, education, infrastructure, aging, and agriculture business issues. Transcript available in the video description.
Additional links: Testimony Transcripts
Date: 06/2021
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: U.S. House Committee on Agriculture
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Meet CEARH - The Center for Economic Analysis of Rural Health
Webinar recording discusses the economic impacts of rural healthcare systems on local, state, and national economies. Features a presentation by a representative of the Center for Economic Analysis of Rural Health (CEARH) outlining the products and services of CEARH.
Additional links: Audio Recording, PowerPoint Handout, Webinar Transcript
Date: 06/2021
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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The Opioid Epidemic: A Geography in Two Phases
Research report examining population and geographic data on two phases of the U.S. opioid epidemic. Examines the association between overdose deaths and chronic pain, physical disability rates, and economic hardship. Discusses the shift from overdose mortality associated with prescription opioids to illicit and synthetic opioids in the early 2010s, including in rural areas and the Northeastern U.S.
Additional links: Report summary
Author(s): David A. McGranahan, Timothy S. Parker
Date: 04/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Redefining Rural: Towards a Better Understanding of Geography, Demography, and Economy in America's Rural Places
Offers a hybrid definition of rurality based on metro and non-metro definitions from the Office of Management and Budget, Rural-Urban Continuum Codes, and considers outlying communities in metro and micropolitan counties as rural. Compares rural and non-rural poverty rates, economic well-being, population changes, and other characteristics to represent counties in economic distress.
Author(s): Kennedy O'Dell
Date: 03/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Economic Innovation Group
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COVID-19: Sustained Federal Action Is Crucial as Pandemic Enters Its Second Year
Discusses the federal government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Provides an overview of federal actions on healthcare and economic policy areas through March 10, 2021, including data on vaccine administration and COVID-19 relief spending. Offers 28 new recommendations to federal agencies regarding public health, the economy, and program integrity that would improve the federal response.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 03/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Uplifting America's Left Behind Places: A Roadmap for a More Equitable Economy
Report examining economic inequality on a geographic scale, addressing inequity across states, rural and urban areas, and counties. Discusses types of spatial inequality, including health, economic, and racial inequities. Offers recommendations to leverage federal economic development policy to support local and regional development. Discusses investments in connectivity and capacity-building, including broadband, infrastructure, labor markets, and civic institutions, particularly in rural areas.
Author(s): Kenan Fikri, Daniel Newman, Kennedy O'Dell
Date: 02/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Economic Innovation Group
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Broadband Today: Rural America's Critical Connection
Report discussing the importance of broadband to connecting rural communities, including its role in rural businesses, telehealth access, education, and agriculture. Addresses the impacts of COVID-19 on remote work, telehealth delivery, and changes to business and consumer activity, and explores future steps for broadband funding and adoption in rural areas.
Date: 02/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Foundation for Rural Service
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Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Rural America
Highlights a study on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on rural America. Explores outcomes in the areas of physical and mental health, household income, and overall well-being. Discusses shifts in employment and their impact on personal and local economies.
Author(s): J. Tom Mueller, Kathryn McConnell, Paul Berne Burow, et al.
Citation: PNAS, 118(1), 2019378118
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
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